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08-06-2009, 08:41 PM
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Laws are just words on paper if no one enforces them.  
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08-06-2009, 09:50 PM
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The only time I am approached by police is if they think I am lost. I may have told this story here before, but once, a police officer figured out I was sick and showed up with medicine for me. I was amazed any officer would care that much. Maybe this is Fukuchiyama, and if it is, then there is a reason why I love my town, I guess, but I was always pulled over, yelled at, and generally treated like crap by city police agencies in the US, and that hasn't happened here. I get treated far worse in America for being different, religiously, politically, age-wise, than I ever do in Japan for the color of my skin. This is why I take such accounts of people being harassed in ridiculous ways "all the time" with an entire shaker of salt. As MMM said, every country has idiots, and Japan is no exception, but I just don't see the kind of institutionalised, conspiratorial racism/nationalism/xenophobia I am constantly encountering in Western discourse, be it online or in person.
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08-07-2009, 03:18 AM
All I can say to everyone's post is "Wow." All of your comments are very insightful and I've read every persons' opinions very carefully to fan out my own interpretation.
I just have one question to ask everyone, if its alright. (Please answer honestly, because I would like to visit Japan soon.) What is it like for an Black American living in Japan? I can safely assume that they would get just as much criticism as other foreigners would get in Japan. Just like in America, racism flourishes and it is just something people get used to. However I am certain, just like in America, not EVERYONE is racist in Japan. There are people who have an open mind and judge one for their characteristics rather than their background and appearance... right? I certainly hope so. I used to have a desire to live in Japan, but now that I am older, I would just like to visit. If I were to continue the path of becoming a translator, I am certain I would have to stay in Japan for a given time to help hone my Japanese language skills (Which is not easy. lmao) I am not pulling out a race card, it is just an honest question. Please forgive me if it appears that way. ^_^;; Also: Quote:
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08-07-2009, 07:14 PM
It depends what you are accustomed to and what your expectations are. One of the most awkward things is the hole-in-the-floor toilets but Western toilets have become more and more common. As long as you have an awareness of cultural norms and rules, the rest you pick up as you go.
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08-07-2009, 08:16 PM
@KaiTea:
From what I've heard from asking many Japanese students (colllege-aged), they're kind of scared of black people. Specifically, black men, I think. I ask them for some sort of rationalization and they can provide none. They're just not used to them being around. I'm not sure about black women; I had a black friend studying abroad in Tokyo and apparently she hated it, but whether that had to do anything with her race or not, I cannot say. All I can say for certain is being black, you stand out more than a white gaijin. Also, in many urban areas, a large portion of the black population (I'm citing Amemura in Osaka for this) stand around all day dealing drugs. It's worth noting that that may affect the reputation of black foreigners in Japan. Of course, if you're just going to visit, I doubt you'll encounter any of this. The chance of meeting someone who is racist or who is going to single you out is very low, and you will only encounter a serious probability of seeing them if you stay there for an extended period of time. So that's the negative. You should know, though, that the positive far outweighs it  なんてしつけいいこいいけつしてんな。
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08-07-2009, 09:06 PM
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Just because be treated differently as a foreigner in Japan didn't happen to you doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Excuse me for saying though, your adult short life experience and / or situation doesn't rack up the entire gaikokujin population 'special treatment' experience ratio. You were not a "foreigner" in the US. I'm saying foreigners get different treatment in Japan because they are not Japanese. Not for the reasons you describe of how you were treated in the US. If you believe you were being treated in the US badly because of race, then that is not a American trait, its a human trait. Also you don't see "racism/nationalism/xenophobia" like you do in the US because Japan is a country of one people. Its more of a day to day issue for people in the US vs Japan. In Japan, if you do speak out religiously or politically or in general "go against the grain" you will see generally the same treatment in Japan as well. Your example of the Hiroshima bomb person is an example of "going against the grain" on popular belief and was shunned and apologized by the general belief public. My point is that foreigners will get special treatment because they are foreigners because of their looks or heritage - just to a lesser degree because of the way Japanese society is. America in general is a more violent place pound per pound, but your unfortunate experiences are comparing apples to oranges. While off the subject: Is because you don't see the discourse you speak of in US online or person discourse is probably because the topic of discussion is different? I mean racism is a human trait... just because its not in discourse as much in Japan vs the US is because Japan simply doesn't deal with the differences as much as other countries. In general you have more freedom and can be more outspoken than you can in Japan because that is what America is about - now that we are completely off topic ^^/ Topic 1: Don't dismiss that foreigners are treated differently simply because of their face / skin color or if their heritage is known just because you haven't experienced in your relatively short time in Japan. This is a human trait not a Non-Japanese / Japanese thing. Japanese simply handle it differently than other countries in general. This is not just isolated to police / authoritative figure - so the story about the nice police officer helping you adds little to the topic. Topic 2: Japan is a great place to live and on average more peaceful due to the society, culture and beliefs. But you may want to get some salt for yourself if you go against the grain in Japan like it seems you described in the US.
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08-07-2009, 09:26 PM
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I knew a black Canadian while I was over there. He had it made; the man went from being an eikaiwa dispatcher to working as a computer programmer at a Japanese firm in Osaka. Of course, he spoke damn near fluent Japanese, as well as some French (being that he originated near the Ontario-Quebec border. How I wish I had paid more attention in French class =p). He also got along quite well with the local Japanese. Now, I met a not-quite-retirement age woman, who was lovely all around except for the subject of blacks. She told me that on one of her trips to San Francisco, a young black couple gave up their seat for her. Oh, how scared she was! Seriously, she said that they scared her when they did that. Keep in mind, this woman was also very conservative. She also told me she would immediately sever contact with an old friend if she discovered they had a tattoo. I personally have only been to amerika-mura once or twice, and being that I'm not that interested in hip-hop fashion I didn't spend long there. I didn't notice many black people on the streets I visited. I did notice quite a bit of graffiti though.
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08-07-2009, 10:46 PM
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I'm not really sure how to describe it, but my opinion is Japan has only seen Black people exist today as a result of their struggles throughout history. News and Media also shows blacks as low income with higher chance of being involved in a felony than other other races. Mind you, I don't believe that a non-black person would behave any differently than a black person given their upbringing, environment and opportunities or lack of. My guess is that Japanese Woman find Blacks Scary I guess because of jobs Blacks have been noted for having in Japan: bodyguard / bouncer or boxer / athlete. Also the size of the average black male compared to the average Japanese female may have something to do with it. I think its the same stereotypes America has had (and still has). In addition I see the majority of blacks that exist in a big city such as Tokyo or Fukuoka are generally not in business / salary man types of positions but in lower types of work. Also some blacks in Japan are from very poor nations with lifestyles of their previous environment. From what I hear from Japanese is that black people can have great talent but not talent that is respected. It all lies in the same thing... lack of knowledge of the other race... Perception of hyakujin in the past, now slowly changing... On the other side of this, though, I believe blacks to be gaining more popularity in Japan than 10-15 years ago. Look at Japanese Music and styles moving toward R&B . Artists such as African American Enka singer Jero is showing that Black people can be as talented and fluent as the next foreigner or more. US President Obama is showing this the best throughout the world that blacks are no different than any other race. Didn't say I like his "reform politics" though ^_^ But most importantly , the softbank commercials with the clean cut black man conversing occasionally. <bad joke> ^_^ Personally I know a young male black Princeton PHD (in Japanese History) who is married to a Japanese and has children. He plans to move to Japan with the children. He is going to have a very tough road ahead of him, but he is changing the national opinion of the whole race. Now if you really want to talk about be treated differently in Japan, lets talk male vs female. Females and Males are no where treated the same as they are in America. Females are still second class citizens in Japan and the change you see in America for women I believe is a long time coming for Japan. Mind you, there have been some serious strides in the amount and roles women play in business in the past decades. However for now think of Japan in 1970s America right now for the treatment of Male vs Female. Here is a good read: Amazon.com: Japanese Women: New Feminist Perspectives on the Past, Present and Future (9781558610941): Kumiko Fujimura-Fanselow, Atsuko Kameda: Books To the original poster on "how is it in Japan?". Prepare for culture shock, sexism and possible racism, but nothing to write home about, and definitely nothing to ruin a short or even extended stay. You have to be flexible. Its not your country nor society so you won't change any rules, but you may leave an opinion in the back of someone mind that may grow to be something someday. You, and ones like you, are changing the world for the better.
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08-07-2009, 11:47 PM
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Also, when the KKK accost you outside of your Catholic center while you walk into it, you're not exactly professing intentionally, are you? Of course, picking a fight with the KKK would be stupid, but you assume much by thinking that is what I did. Quote:
I hear and read a lot of these anecdotes, but after my "short" time in Japan, I think they are caused by individual idiocy, and not some overarching conspiracy to "get" individuals of different nationalities or ethnicity. To put it bluntly, I think it's a bunch of malarky. Quote:
Let me break down what I was saying. I'm not a "foreigner" in Texas, but when I go to NYC or LA, I sure as hell am. Not legally, but my point here is that "legality" is not the issue. I feel more out of place, not to mention less safe, and get treated worse when I am in those cities than I do by Japanese even in big Japanese cities, let alone Fukuchiyama. I did not say I was treated differently in the US because race, rather I said that I was treated badly because of social issues, religion, politics, philosophy. Whereas, I am not treated badly because of race in Japan. In fact, the only "racism" I experience in Japan is the patronising kind: the assumption I am a tourist or the assumption that I don't speak Japanese. This is, however, ONLY in tourist spots. This certainly never happens in Fukuchiyama. It isn't a tourist spot, so if you are not ethnically Japanese, then you are obviously a resident, and you are expected to know Japanese. As well you should be, in my opinion. Quote:
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This is not something I need to imagine, because my grandfather held Pearl Harbor against the Japanese until his death. The family wouldn't let me tell him I spoke Japanese or was interested in Japanese culture. He was as irrationally angry as Hiroshima Guy was, and there were several issues in regards to other matters, where I did need to apologise for his behavior (an example where he called a few African-American children "damn colored kids"). These are far different situations than the very boisterous democracy in Japan, LDP, DPJ, SPJ, and CPJ are very politically different, and you should see them go during election season. There are rules, and as long as you follow the rules of discourse, your views will be taken seriously, or at least, you will be allowed to safely express our views. Religiously as well, I see Jehovah's witnesses and Mormons, along with Japanese religious groups, get far better welcomes at doors than they do in the US. Quote:
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As another example, Kyoto is offering non-Japanese teachers three year temporary teaching licenses while they pass JLPT 2 and take a few education courses in Japanese to obtain a permanent teaching license, and I personally have had the head of the Fukuchiyama Board of Education ask me for my opinion of western methods on dealing with violent students, and we worked to apply it in a specific case at my school. Unfortunately, we didn't succeed in getting that student into high school, be we did try. That certainly didn't feel like token inclusion.
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08-07-2009, 11:47 PM
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Until there is sufficient evidence to back up such accounts, I am very reasonable in relying on my own experiences and the experiences of my coworkers and friends. We have all experienced being treated differently, it is the view that this is some sort of institutionlised conspiracy that is widespread among the Japanese population that I believe to be an inaccurate stereotype propagated by westerners. These are all personal anecdotes: "this police officer did that" "this Japanese person did that", therefore it is completely in-line for me to counter with experiences of my own: all of my experiences with police officers in Japan have been wonderful. This is quite relevant, since I have had quite a number of experiences with police officers, at least in Tokyo and Fukuchiyama. Much less experience in other parts of the country, admittedly. Quote:
I do not believe in cultural relativism. For the most part the political views important to me are ones the majority of Japanese agree with, or even take for granted: public health care, public transportation, public retirement and social security programs, civil liberties and civil rights, and I have had several Japanese engage me (at their instigation, not my own) in civil, interested, and mature debate about my Catholic faith. Of course, when I think a view is wrong, because I am not a cultural relativist, I am quite clear in my own opinions. I have yet to ruffle any feathers, and some times, as stated earlier, I am even sought out for my views that vary from the Japanese norm. I think I eat too much sodium as it is, so I'll probably cut down.
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